I received an e-mail from a former Royal Gorge Academy student, who gave me permission to republish it here.
You are completely right to put a warning on this school.
I went there as a troubled teen, and benefited to some extent from the program there. The academic side has a small staff of teachers who are overworked, but amazing.
Unfortunately one of my group mates was actually dyslexic and was pretty much told to stop lying and deal with the computer programs there. Everything is done on a computer and it is NOT an appropriate learning environment for children with learning disabilities for several reasons. The biggest is the fact that students and staff (not the teaching staff but the behavioral staff) can disrupt class any time they choose, and do so. Another flaw is the academic staff and behavioral staff have no connection or coordination except disciplinary. Third, the Principal when I was there showed huge favoritism and was manipulative and lied.
I'm glad I had the opportunity to get away from the bad situation I was in at my home town, however I didn't graduate the program, and am now at a Christian University, while the girls I know who have graduated the program are currently back to ditching school, drugs, and general partying.
The school is corrupt and the academic program is weak to say the least. The only shining spot in all of this are the few teachers who are sadly overworked, and the cook in the kitchen.
Below the fold, background postings on Royal Gorge Academy, and other "schools" associated with Randal Hinton, R. B. Lichfield, and WWASPS.
Previous Posts Here on Royal Gorge Academy
Randall Hinton, WWASPS Heavy, Arrested in Colorado
Randall Hinton: Background, Employment History, Biography
Patty Pacheco, Whistleblower at Royal Gorge Academy
Hinton Convicted on Two Counts
Vic Vela's coverage of the trial for the Canon City Record:
August 25 2007: Trial begins Monday
August 28 2007: Teenage Testifies to Abuse
August 29 2007: More Students Testify to Abuse
August 30 2007: Tearful employee testifies
There are two suits going against the organizations Robert Lichfield has invested in. One is specific to Ivy Ridge; the other is broader.
General class action suit (The "Wood Complaint"): (defendants include Lichfield, Ken Kay, Karr Farnsworth, David Gilcrease, and "John Does I through XX).
I imagine Hinton will be one of the Does. The amended complaint:
Download WoodAmendedComplaint.pdf
If you want to join the suit, go to http://www.wturley.com/
Ivy Ridge class action suit:
Download IvyRidgeClassAction.pdf
History of Academy at Ivy Ridge
2000--Robert Lichfield purchases the campus in Ogdensburg, NY.
Litigation Against Ivy Ridge and Similar Organizations
There are two suits going against the organizations Robert Lichfield has invested in. One is specific to Ivy Ridge; the other is broader.
General class action suit (The "Wood Complaint"): (defendants include Lichfield, Ken Kay, Karr Farnsworth, David Gilcrease, and "John Does I through XX).
I imagine Hinton will be one of the Does. The amended complaint:
Download WoodAmendedComplaint.pdf
If you want to join the suit, go to http://www.wturley.com/
Ivy Ridge class action suit:
Download IvyRidgeClassAction.pdf
Previous Posts on WWASPS and WWASPS-related issues:
- Challenge Day & WWASPS --March 30 2005
- Thinking of Sending Your Troubled Teen to a Boot Camp? -- March 31, 2005
- Boonville Says No to WWASPS--April 10 2005
- The Enduring Lure of "Gunny Therapy" -- April 15, 2005
- Riot at Ivy Ridge--June 8 2005
- The Road to Whatever -- July 2005
- Academy at Ivy Ridge--August 23, 2005
- Why "Therapeutic Schools" are Booming January 2 2006
- Advice for Parents Looking for A Therapeutic School -- January 21, 2005
- Maia Szalavitz On Debunking "Tough Love" Schools -- April 11 2006
- WWASPS Suit--September 6 2006
- Exploitation of Youth and Families December 6 2006
- Ivy Ridge "Not A School" -- December 7 2006
- On Accreditation -- December 11 2006
- Northwest Association of Accredited Schools -- December 11 2006
- Randall Hinton, WWASPS Heavy, Arrested for Abuse -- January 12, 2007
- What Alternatives Are There for Parents of Troubled Teens?-- January 13, 2007
- Randall Hinton's Qualifications and Biography--January 13, 2007
- Patty Pacheco, Whistle-blower at Royal Gorge Academy -- January 29, 2007
- Royal Gorge Academy in the News--March 20, 2007
- Four Students Flee Ivy Ridge--March 20, 2007
- Robert Lichfield, One of Mitt Romney's Money Men, Has Legal Troubles -- June 22, 2007
Series on Questions Parents Should Ask Before Enrolling A Child in a NonPublic School:
- NonPublic Schools: Part I--Overview
- NonPublic Schools--Part II Evaluating Mission, Values, & Goodness of Fit for Your Child
- NonPublic Schools--Part III Faculty and Staff Qualifications
- NonPublic Schools--Part IV: Evaluating Academic Program
- NonPublic Schools:Part V--On Accreditation
- NonPublic Schools:Part VI--More Detail on Financial Issues: IRS Status
Other Sources of Information:
- Coalition Against Institutionalized Child Abuse (CAICA)--Royal Gorge Index
- International Survivors Action Committee ISAC --WWASPS Index
- WaspsInfo.net ("home of all the information WWASPS wants you to ignore.") --includes Randall Hinton's bio
- NoSpank on residential treatment
- Community Alliance on Ethical Treatment of Youth (CAFETY)
- John Gorenfeld on Tranquility Bay
- John Gorenfield's writings on boot camp abuse
- List of Organizations Opposing "Therapeutic Schools" and "Specialty Schools"
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